Portable hitching-block.



. No. 887,026.v P-ATENTED MAY 5,1908.

J. B. BARNETT.

PORTABLE HITGHING VBLOG'K.` APPLIOATIQN FILED 11116.27, 1907.

attoznm `TMI.' NaRRls Preferisco., wAsl-umzmw "n c UNT-TED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

.TOHN B. BARNETT, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO LEONIDAS M.

BARKLEY AND ,ONE-THIRD TO JOHN W.

DAVIS, OF FORT WORTH7 TEXAS.

PORTABLE HITCHING-BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Application led August 27, 1907. Serial No. 390,358.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort lVorth, county of Tarrant, and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Hitching-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a hitching block and more particularly to portable hitching 1o blocks, and the object is to provide hitching blocks which are simple and inexpensive and which will hold a hitching rein at any desirable length but which under abnormal strain will yield and be retracted within the casing or block ywhen the abnormal strain is relieved. The advantage of such provision is that there will be no occasion for the rein to be any longer than actually necessary and the rein will not fall on the ground to be trampled -upon and soiled.

Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application and specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevationl of the hitching block. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, showingthe manner of securing the winding spring 1n the block, one of the retaining guards being broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the block at right angles to the section shown fin Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a ver- 85 tical section of the block through the bearings at one end of the spool. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the spring clamp. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same along the line a.' of Fig. 5, and showing a portion of a rein and a portion ofthe hood.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

A bottom 1 is provided and may be made thick enough to secure the necessary weight.

The bottom is provided with an annular upwardly projecting flange 2 which serves to prevent displacement of the hood 3. The hood 3 rests on the bottom 1. and is held thereto by screws 4. The hood 3 has enlarged portions 5 'in which screw sockets are formed for the screws 4. There may be any number of screws 4. The ilange 2 will aid in placing the hood on the bottom. Upwardly projecting bearings 6 are formed integral with the bottom 1. A spool 7 is provided with a shaft 8 which is journaled in the bearings 6. The hitching rein 9 is attached to the spool 7 in any suitable manner. Guards 10 are formed integral with the hood 3. These guards 10 project down slightly between the bifurcated portions of the bearings 6 and hold shaft S in place, that is the guards prevent the displacement of the shaft 8.

The end of the shaft 8 is split and a spring 11 is inserted in the slot 11 therein and secured therein by a screw 12. The spring 11 is coiled around the shaft 8 and then caught on a hook 13 which is rigid with the bottom 1. A guard 14 tends to prevent displacement of the spring 11. The object of the spring 11 is to draw the rein within the hood when the rein is not in use. wWhen the rein is withdrawn or unwound from the spool 7 for use the spring 11 is coiled about the shaft 8 with suflicient tension to draw the rein back into the hood when the rein is not in use. The hood 3 has an opening 15 for the passage of the strap 9 and the opening is made slanting so that the strap may be wound on the spool 7. A handle 16 is attached to the hood by screws 16 which enter the hood so that the screws will penetrate the upper parts of the guards 10. A spring clamp 17 is mounted on the strap 9 and may be placed on the strap to hold the strap a suitable length out of the hood for hitching purposes and the distance desired on the strap. Vhen the clamp is so located a horse may pull on the rein and draw the rein further out of the hood7 but the spring will continue to pull on the strap or rein until the horse yields enough .to let the clamp go back to the hood. The clamp 17 may be set at different points on the rein by the hand, but the clamp will prevent the strap from being drawn within the hood. Thus when the horse is standing hitched, the clamp prevents the spring from ulling on the part of the rein which is outside of the hood.

The spring clamp 17 is provided with a pivoted member 18 which is held between the ends of the clamp by a pivot bolt 19. The member 1S has notches near the pivoted end and the clamp 17 has projections 20 which engage the notches in the member 17. The notches and the projections tend to hold the pivoted member and the clamp 17 in position to engage the strap 9 and clamp the clamp may be located atsame whenever the strap is drawn inwardly and also to hold the clamp at any place on the strap. The member 18 can be pressed open to allow the clamp to be moved on the strap or rein 9.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,` l. A portable hitching block comprising a base having an annular guard iange, a hood resting on said base outside of said flange, bearings formed integral with said base, a spool provided with a shaft journaled in said bearings, bearing guards formed integral with said hood and projecting and coperating with said bearings to prevent displacement of said spool, said hood having enlarged portions adjacent to said base, screws binding said base to said hood, a hitching rein attached to said spool, and a spring for automatically winding said rein on said spool.

2. A portable hitching block comprising a base having an annular guard flange, a hood resting on said base outside of said flange and having enlarged ortions adjacent to said base, screws attac ing said base to said hood, bearings formed integral with said base, a spool provided with a shaft j ournaled in said bearings, a rein attached to said spool, guards formed integral with said hood and holding said shaft in said bearings, a spring for automatically Winding said rein on said s ool, said spring being attached to said sliaft and attached to said base, and a guard mounted in said base and preventing displacement of said spring.

3. A portable hitching block comprising a base having an annular guard ange, a hood resting on said base outside of said flange,

screws attaching said base to said hood, bearings formed on said base, a spool rovided with a shaft j ournaled in said earings, guards on said hood preventing the displacement of said spool, a rein attached to said spool and projecting out of said hood, a spring for automatically winding said rein on said spool attached to said shaft at one end and attached to said base at the other end, and a spring clamp mounted on said rein and adapted to hold a predetermined portion of said rein outside of said hood but detachable from and movable on said rein so that therein may be wound on said spool by said spring.

4. A portable hitching block comprising a base having upwardly projecting bearings, a hood attached to said base and provided with bearing guards cooperating with said bearings, a spool having a shaft j ournaled in said bearings, a rein attached to said spool, a spring attached to said base and to said s aft and adapted to turn said shaft automatically, a guard rigid with said base for preventing displacement of said spring, and a spring clamp mounted on and movable on said rein and adapted to engage said rein automaticallyat any adjustment and to hold a predetermined portion of said rein Without said hood and said spring holding the remaining portion of said rein yieldingly within said hood.

In testimony whereof, I set my hand in the presence of two witnesses, this 21st day of August, 1907.

JOHN B. BARNETT. I/Vitnesses:

A. L. JACKSON, J. W. STITT. 

